


A Heavy Heart To Carry

by Kodalinx



Category: Free!
Genre: Canon deviation, M/M, Slow Build, SouMako - Freeform, its about to get real angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-02-11 12:45:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12935568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kodalinx/pseuds/Kodalinx
Summary: Sousuke had tried to ignore the looming problems his shoulder had caused him. For so long, he had built up walls around his heart, never letting anyone in, except maybe Rin. He had thought things would stay that way...That is until he met Makoto Tachibana.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A canon deviation from Season 2 - Episode 8. AKA How Soumako could have happened..

Sousuke slumped against the wall, gripping his shoulder, his body sinking to the floor. The cool tiles soothed his burning skin, but it wasn’t enough. Sobs echoed off the walls, the shower’s spray unable to drown them out as they racked his body. His throat burnt with the intensity of his cries and his head hung low with his futile attempts to muffle the sounds. Droplets rained down on his back, splattering against the skin. They trailed down his face, mixing with the tears there and falling from his nose to the floor. Sousuke swiped his hand across his face, heaving deep breaths through the blistering pain. He tipped his head back, letting it hit against the wall as the spray poured down over his body and swimsuit. His shoulder throbbed erratically despite his efforts to calm down.

With a shuddering breath, he knew he would have to leave without running into Rin or anyone else who would recognise him. It was bad enough that Haruka Nanase had already worked out that he was injured. He was already suspicious of whether Haruka would tell Rin. He prayed it wouldn’t come to that. He just needed to get out fast and deal with this on its own, however long that took.

As if on cue, an audible gasp alerted him of a presence. Head shooting toward the sound, Sousuke froze up suddenly. Finding wide eyes and a gaping expression gawking at him nearly caused him to curl up again, but all he could do was let out a shaky breath, relieved.

_It’s not Rin_ , he told himself. _It’s fine as long as it’s not Rin_.

“ _Yamazaki-kun_?” Makoto gawked, his eyes raking Sousuke’s body and lingering on the harsh red area adorning his shoulder.

Makoto stood stock still, still in his swimsuit, most likely looking to use the showers after his swim. Instead, he had found Sousuke alone and struggling in pain. Now, Sousuke was stuck in a situation he had hoped to avoid.

Makoto’s body had felt the weight of the day’s events. Haru’s outbreak about the future had left him feeling weary, at best. And now, his mind struggled to take in what he was seeing.

Throwing his head in the other direction, Sousuke grit his teeth, failing to refrain from grinding them together. He desperately endured another wave of pain as it shot through his body, hoping Makoto would leave soon before any more noise escaped him.

“Get out,” he spat.

He waited, keeping his head turned away. There was no doubt Makoto had already seen the tears staining his cheeks as well as the puffy red eyes from which they came. With Sousuke’s steel tight grip on his shoulder, he supposed he might as well have just _told_ Makoto something was wrong. It would be hard _not_ to spot the injury.

A moment later, there was a small squeak and the spray of water attacking him from above was abruptly cut off. A soft touch wrapped around his wrist, right below where his fingers were mercilessly digging into his shoulder. His eyes met Makoto’s, fierce teal glaring daggers into soft green ones. Makoto gave a small tug on the wrist he was holding and had to reel in his surprise when Sousuke reluctantly released his grip. Makoto kept a hold of his wrist, lowering it and squeezing with what he hoped to convey as support.

What Makoto couldn’t hold in was the strangled noise that escaped him upon seeing the skin beneath. Makoto remembered Kisumi’s talk of how Sousuke’s shoulder must have recovered. No. This was the damage that he had meant. Sousuke’s shoulder was far beyond bruised. The skin was a deep shade of red, fading quickly into a harsh purple in the centre. Makoto felt as if his eyes were glued to the spot. As much as the sight pained him, he couldn’t bring himself to look away. How could Sousuke have put up with this much pain for so long? It didn’t make any sense. And yet, none of them had suspected anything until now.

Finally raising his gaze, Makoto looked to Sousuke. The other’s eyes darted away, his body tensing up. Knowing Sousuke was already reluctant to open up, Makoto didn’t want to push his luck by asking too many questions. Instead, he slowly raised his hand and, starting from Sousuke’s bicep, slid his fingers upward, applying pressure and testing the skin as he went. Makoto couldn’t imagine the pain Sousuke was in. All he could think was how Sousuke had managed to swim butterfly with his shoulder in this state.

Sousuke took shaky breaths as Makoto’s fingers curved closer to his shoulder. The touch had been feather light and soothing, but that changed upon meeting the sensitive bruised skin. As careful as Makoto was, Sousuke hissed, his hand flying up and grasping Makoto’s upper arm to stop him.

“Sorry!” Makoto was quick to apologise, his face twisting into an expression of pity that Sousuke despised.

“Stop that!” Sousuke barked instinctively.

Makoto blinked, clearly lost by how his mouth opened and closed several times. “Stop what?” he asked, his forehead creasing. His eyes flicked back to Sousuke’s shoulder, taking in the sight once more. A low growl brought his eyes back up to meet Sousuke’s harsh teal gaze on him.

“ _That_!” Sousuke snapped. “That face! Stop looking at me like I’m some kicked puppy! Like something you pity enough to give attention!”

Whilst it may have been harsh, that one look made his blood boil. He didn’t _ask_ for Makoto’s help and he didn’t need it. He had been fine until now without any help. What could Makoto do that he hadn’t already thought of?

Makoto was frozen, unsure what to say. Sousuke scoffed. Had it been anyone else, maybe they would have left. Maybe anyone else might have given up on him. Fortunately, Makoto wasn’t one of those people.

“Does Rin know?” It was mumbled, but Sousuke caught it. Makoto hated to press the issue, but he knew there was no way Rin would have let Sousuke carry on had he known the full extent of the injury.

“No!” Sousuke growled. “And don’t you dare tell him!”

Makoto’s brow furrowed. As one of Rin’s best friends, of course, he would want to tell him. But Sousuke knew Rin couldn’t find out. If Rin found out, it was all over. What good could he be to his best friend’s dream with a busted shoulder and a broken dream? Sousuke had been over this countless times and no matter how many times he asked himself the same questions, he still came up empty.

The truth was there wasn’t a place for him in Rin’s future like this; that was the harsh reality of it. And it broke him inside to know that.

_No._

He wasn’t stopping. He wouldn’t hold back. Not for anything. He would do this for Rin, for the both of them. The defiance was clear in his gaze, a roaring fire burning behind those teal eyes as Sousuke lifted his head up boldly.

Makoto brought his hands up in surrender. “Ok, Ok! But…” he trailed off, Sousuke’s eyes narrowing at the new possibility of a catch. What could Makoto want? A hand landed lightly on his other shoulder, Makoto smiling gently at him as he spoke. “Just let me help you up.”

It was quiet, like he was talking more to himself. It was something Sousuke was starting feel he would never understand. How could a person be so selfless that they let someone treat them like crap and still want to help? Sousuke’s brow furrowed. Tachibana was something else completely. But he clearly wasn’t going anywhere, so Sousuke threw that idea out altogether. Sighing, Sousuke leaned back against the tiled wall and took a deep breath. “Alright,” he breathed, preparing himself for the fight his shoulder would put up against the movement.

Makoto looked almost grateful for the cooperation. “Here, take my hand,” Makoto said, rising and outstretching his hand toward the other.

“I can stand up myself, you know,” Sousuke grumbled, ignoring the offer in favour of leaning forward.

Makoto sighed, though his gentle smile remained. Crouching down and flinging Sousuke’s good arm over his shoulders, Makoto ignored the protest and heaved the both of them up. Sousuke’s shoulder tugged, the muscle straining as he moved. Placing more weight onto Makoto, he felt the tension ease slowly and allowed himself to be supported. Once they were both stable, Makoto gave Sousuke a sideway glance.

“See? Easy enough,” he smiled, his head tipping to one side. In that moment, he reminded Sousuke of a large puppy.

Sousuke’s lip twitched upward, “Yeah, I guess.” There was a short moment of silence before Sousuke cleared his throat. “You can let me go now, Tachibana.”

“Oh,” Makoto laughed awkwardly, his cheeks flaming up slightly. “Sorry, Yamazaki-kun.”

Releasing his hold on Sousuke, Makoto took several steps back. Head down, Makoto gnawed at his lip. Sousuke raised an eyebrow, waiting. Nothing came as Makoto stood shuffling his feet.

“What is it?” Sousuke asked.

Makoto’s head darted up. “It’s just…Yamazaki-kun-”

“ _Sousuke_ ,” the taller interrupted, scratching the back of his neck. “You can just call me Sousuke.”

Makoto’s smile was different this time. It didn’t quite reach his eyes and it slid off his face soon after appearing. His eyes seemed to avoid Sousuke’s as a more serious atmosphere fell over them.

“Sousuke,” Makoto tried again. “What are you...” He let out an exasperated sigh, unable to find the words he wanted. “You’re just going to carry on, aren’t you?”

Makoto’s voice sounded so small, almost childlike. Sousuke wanted to snap, to tell Makoto that it was none of his business. And yet, something stopped him. Maybe it was his tone or the fact Makoto had gone so far to help him already. Sousuke’s mind recalled a phrase he’d heard from his childhood many times. _If you can’t say anything nice…_

Sousuke released a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in. Opting for silence, he stepped towards the door. Makoto’s voice caught him as Sousuke stepped past him.

“ _Please_ ,” he pleaded. Makoto’s voice sounded fragile and broken. Sousuke froze up at the sound. His head turned back slowly, the sight of Makoto catching him off guard.

Makoto stood, his body rigid, head down. His brown fringe fell in front of his face, concealing his eyes from view. His chest rose and fell with a more evident speed than before. Clenching his fists on either side of his body, Makoto’s voice came out a bare whisper.

“Please, don’t.”

Sousuke moved instinctively. He clutched Makoto’s shoulders, shaking the boy who reacted as much as a ragdoll.

“Oi, Makoto! Hey!” He emphasised each word with another shake.

When the boy’s only movement came from his fists, clenching and unclenching at his sides, Sousuke’s concern grew. Hesitantly, Sousuke brushed the fallen bangs back, revealing Makoto’s knit together brows and eyes that were squeezed shut. With the removal of his hair from his face, Makoto’s eyes opened slowly, those bright green eyes seemingly pained.

Makoto choked on his words as if he were fighting back tears. “ _Why_? Why are you so willing to hurt yourself again?”

Sousuke had no idea how to answer.

He hadn’t considered that Makoto might actually feel some form of concern for him. Sousuke was starting to feel as though Makoto was a completely different person than he was used to. Sousuke had originally thought he could get out of Makoto’s way as soon as possible and they would just forget about this. He was starting to realise that this wouldn’t be the last time he and Makoto would talk about this.

“Makoto,” Sousuke spoke softly, their eyes connected and Makoto suddenly realised how tired Sousuke looked. The boy’s teal eyes were still outlined red from the pain he had suffered alone and the strain of today’s events. “I’m going home. I just need some time alone to recover.” Makoto opened his mouth to protest, but Sousuke stopped him swiftly. “I don’t want to hear it right now. I need to think about things. Just…Don’t mention this to anyone. Please,” he added.

Makoto gave a stiff nod, clearly reluctant. He would give Sousuke the space he needed. He wouldn’t tell Rin or anyone else. If that’s what Sousuke needed, Makoto would respect that. But he couldn’t help feeling both guilt and confusion. All that filled his head were questions racing around. _How had this happened to Sousuke? How long had it been this way? Had he told no one? Was he just suffering in silence? How had no one noticed by now? Why couldn’t he just tell Rin? They were best friends, weren’t they? More than that. They were like brothers._

With that, Sousuke released Makoto and moved silently towards the door.

 

* * *

 

By the time Makoto had showered and left, the sky was much darker, the sun hanging low in the sky as he made his way back to the hotel. The whole process had been muscle memory, his mind replaying how he had found Sousuke. As Makoto walked, his brow furrowed in thought. He needed to talk to Sousuke about this. Something had to change.

Reaching the hotel, Makoto made his way swiftly to his room. Upon entry, he noticed Haru was already in bed. Makoto watched the slow rise and fall of Haru's figure. There was a high possibility that Haru wasn't asleep, today's events most likely racking his mind. Makoto considered addressing the issue, but things were too tense between them both right now. Quickly changing into pyjamas, Makoto snuggled up in his own bed, giving Haru one more thoughtful glance.  _No,_ he thought. Now was not the time. 

Whenever Haru needed him, Makoto would be there. 

With that final thought, Makoto let his eyes fall shut, finally feeling the exhaustion from the day.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since anything on this, it's been reeaaall busy.
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter :)

Sousuke woke, rolling onto his side. His eyes found vibrant, red locks curling out across the bed opposite his own. Sousuke’s lip twitched upward. _Rin_.

Light was filtering in, making Sousuke rub the sleep from the corners of his eyes. Glancing to their shared alarm clock, he found that he had only woken up minutes before his alarm was set to ring. Resting his head back on the pillow, Sousuke allowed himself the last few minutes to relax before he had to start his morning routine.

The alarm rang out, the repetitive sharp beeps chirping loudly. Sousuke groaned, glaring at the alarm. Why did time have a habit of speeding up when you needed it?

Across the room, Rin stirred, pushing himself up onto his elbows and slamming his hand down onto the screeching alarm clock. His messy bangs fell in front of his eyes, shielding his face from the sunlight that invaded their room.

“Talk about bed head,” Sousuke grumbled.

Rin forced himself out of bed, making sure to send a quick half-arsed glare in Sousuke’s direction. Mumbling in response, Rin dragged himself into the bathroom. The door locked, and moments later, Sousuke heard the running water of the shower.

Sousuke sat up in bed and rolled his shoulder with a hiss. Mornings were the worst. Sousuke’s shoulder fought against the motion as he gradually loosened his muscles from their clenched state. He was satisfied with the give when he heard the water from the bathroom shut off.

The door unlocked, and Rin strolled out, holding his towel around his waist. A second towel was flung atop his head, his free hand scrubbing at his damp hair. Rin moved to the dresser and gathered out his swim suit, t-shirt, and jacket.

Sousuke flung off the covers, and swiftly fell into the same routine. Stepping into the shower, he felt the shock of the cold water against his skin. Memories of the night before flooded his mind. He hoped he didn’t have to face Tachibana today, but there was just no chance of that. Today was Rin’s time to shine in the butterfly heats, as well as the relay that they had all been waiting for.

After adjusting the dial, Sousuke’s eyes fell shut, tipping his head back into the now lukewarm spray of water. He couldn’t mess up today. Everything had to be perfect for the relay. He knew how much it meant to everyone.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Sousuke made quick work of showering, brushing his teeth, and heading out to get dressed. Rin was dressed and laying back on his bed, a grin on his face.

Sousuke yanked out his clothes, sliding on his swim suit and jacket. He was tying the laces of his shoes when Rin scoffed loudly. “Come on, Sousuke!”

Sousuke couldn’t help but laugh. Rin was excited to prove himself. With all the scouts watching, Rin would have a ton of offers heading his way after this performance. He just hoped the whole situation with Nanase hadn’t affected him.

The pair headed downstairs to grab a small breakfast before making their way to the arena.  

* * *

Rin was in the third heat for men’s 100m butterfly. He dumped his stuff in a locker and quickly made his way out to warm up and watch the other swimmers. He couldn’t deny that he was interested to see how Rei Ryugazaki was going to perform.

Sousuke stayed in the changing rooms for a while after Rin left. He locked his belongings up in a locker next to Rin’s and sat on the bench in the centre of the aisle. His shoulder ached regardless of the number of times he had tried to stretch it out.

Unzipping his jacket, he tugged down the material and found the skin there glaringly red. Sighing, Sousuke reached for the spray that he had left in his pocket. Dragging it out, he coated his skin generously, and dumped it back down on the bench.

The spray soaked into his skin, offering some relief to the inflammation. Sousuke’s eyes closed, allowing himself to bask in the soothing effect. He took slow breaths, his body easing up in response. However, his solitary didn’t last long. The small pitter patter of feet echoed through the room and Sousuke instantly yanked up his jacket, concealing the abused skin. Moments later, Nitori’s head popped out behind a line of lockers.

“Yamazaki-Senpai! If you don’t hurry up, you’ll miss Rin-Senpai’s race!” He chimed.

Sousuke hummed, grabbing his spray and shoving it back in his pocket. Unfortunately, not before Nitori’s eyes caught sight of it.

“Yamazaki-senpai, is that…” Nitori trailed off, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Sousuke dismissed.

Moving round Nitori, Sousuke strode down the hall and found himself on a balcony overlooking the pool. Leaning against the wall, he watched as the swimmers came to a close finish, their palms smacking the walls in victory. All eyes turned to the score boards.

Another Iwatobi hadn’t made the cut.

Sousuke’s eyes fell to the new set of swimmers stepping up to the diving boards – and there was Rin, his red hair sticking out under his swim cap. Sousuke watched as he adjusted his goggles and tucked the remaining strands of hair underneath his cap. Even from way back here, he could sense the determination. Rin was going to give this his all.

The new line of swimmers prepped themselves to dive. The wait for the whistle was agonising, all eyes focussed forward. The whistle sounded, and the swimmers propelled themselves into the water. Once their bodies surfaced again, their arms immediately fell into the fierce rhythm of the butterfly stroke.

Rin steadily gained a lead, several swimmers falling behind. The standards were that much higher this time. Regionals took only the best. Fortunately, that was Rin. By the time the swimmers had made the turn and were on their final stretch to the finish, there was a clear final 3. Closing in, a barrage of hands slapped the wall, signalling their place. Sousuke’s eyes burned holes into the scoreboard as it generated the times.

One after the other, the names appeared in a list. _Rin Matsuoka – 1 st place_. Sousuke’s face was overwhelmed with a grin. Rin’s dreams were only just beginning.

“YES!” Rin roared, his voice carrying around the arena. His hands splashed against the water as he cheered.

Sousuke turned, making his way back to the changing rooms.

* * *

Sousuke heard Rin before he saw him. The idiot’s jeering and cries escaped the room, bouncing down the halls. Turning the corner to their lockers, Sousuke found the redhead screaming away. He stood watching in amusement for several moments, until Rin, caught the figure from his periphery.

“I did it! I’m going to nationals!” Rin yelled.

“Well done, Rin. You’ve earned it!” Sousuke said, and he truly meant it. Rin had worked non-stop for his chance to be here. He had finally had his chance to prove himself.

Rin flung his arms around Sousuke. Sousuke knew that the other boy was helplessly fighting back tears, but now wasn’t the time to tease him about it.

_“Riiiinnnn!”_

_“Rin-Senpai!”_

The shouts grew closer until two figures launched themselves onto the two boys, more arms wrapping around them until they were clustered together in a tightly knit group hug. Nitori and Momotarou rattled off their many congratulations for Rin. And in that moment, Sousuke felt his heart squeeze.

His mind shifted to the relay. This was his team. And he was going to make them proud.

They left the changing rooms, heading to the poolside ready and waiting for the relay swimmers to be called. Samezuka were stood, ready and waiting to walk out onto the poolside. Sousuke felt eyes burning into his back; the Iwatobi team were following them out. Sousuke steeled himself, holding his head high and stepping out with his team. They moved as one, sticking together, all four of them prepared to prove themselves as a team.

Once they approached the platform, they ordered themselves accordingly; Momotarou, then Nitori, then Sousuke, then Rin. Sousuke’s eyes caught Makoto’s briefly, sensing the conflict there. His eyes darted away, focussing on the pool ahead of them, ignoring any hint of concern that he had found in other’s gaze.

When they stepped forward, they instantly felt the cheer of the crowd and the chants from their teams. Momotarou readied himself, the pressure of going first only serving to fire him up. Sousuke’s eyes slipped to the next lane once again, where Makoto Tachibana was preparing to start.

As soon as all of the swimmers were in their lanes and ready, the referee stepped up to the side lines, raising his arm as a signal to prepare. The crowd fell silent, the atmosphere turning suddenly as the referee lifted the whistle to his lips.

The sharp squeal of the whistle rang out.

Each swimmer launched themselves off the wall in unison. The crowd erupted in chants, cheers, and heart warming support. As the swimmers set off, they fell into clear positions. Momotarou was powering ahead. But what else could you expect from the previous captain’s little brother.

In the next lane, Makoto’s usually soft, green eyes were staring upwards, narrowed and focussed. His breathing was rhythmic and controlled. His arms swept fluidly through the water, his many years mastering the stroke becoming evident.

Nagisa and Rei cried out their support, their eyes never leaving Makoto’s position. Haruka’s lip twitched up, just for a second. The feeling he had been searching for…This was it. This was what he had wanted; to swim with his team. _For the team_.

Makoto and the other swimmers were already heading back towards them. The next set of swimmers readied themselves on the diving boards, prepping themselves for the all-important change over.

Nagisa and Nitori eyed their teammates as they came into contact with the wall below them. The two of them immediately sailed into the water as their teammates finished, the change over time impressive to say the least. Nitori’s form was near perfect, his strokes looking strong as his hands scooped through the water. Sousuke took a moment to appreciate that maybe some of his coaching had been useful.

Taking up his position on the diving board, Sousuke readied himself, adjusting his stance and body. He calmed himself, taking deep breaths as he pulled down his black goggles. Blocking out his surroundings, Sousuke focussed primarily on Nitori’s position and the pool that stretched out before him.

Nitori was heading back, only seconds away from Sousuke now. Sousuke’s eyes narrowed as Nitori approached, his muscles tensing in preparation. As Nitori reached the wall, Sousuke propelled his body over him, diving into the water. His legs instantly came to life, kicking together as one as he curved back up towards the surface. As his body surfaced, Sousuke perfected his form, his arms soaring up out of the water and splashing back down in front of him.

Sousuke focussed on the stretch ahead, feeling his body forcing forward. As the far side of the pool, and the wall that marked halfway came closer, Sousuke prepared his return. His body curled up as he spun, his legs extending out again straight after. Pushing fiercely off the wall, Sousuke raced back towards his team, his eyes on his teammates. Sousuke couldn’t see any other swimmers in his periphery – his only guess was that he was currently in the lead. Though he knew, that the other swimmers definitely weren’t far behind.

As Sousuke’s arms rose up out of the water, curling over his head, something wasn’t right. His shoulder strained, the muscles tugging painfully. His body hesitated, his arms freezing up momentarily. He slipped back, his position falling behind the other swimmers. He gasped, his mouth taking in water that choked him.

From the side lines, Makoto’s eyes caught the movement. As hard as he tried to focus on Rei and his own team’s progress, he couldn’t drag his eyes away from Sousuke. His heart leapt into his throat at Sousuke’s momentary lapse.

Beside him, the Samezuka team looked stunned. Their matching expressions gaped, all eyes wide. Rin stepped forward instinctively, and almost fell straight into the pool. Tears pricked at his eyes, unable to stop himself from feeling Sousuke’s frustration.

“Sousuke!!!” Rin screamed, his heart pouring into his voice. Immediately, Nitori and Momotarou picked up their cheers, the three of them pouring their effort into motivating their teammate.

Sousuke focussed on them as he powered on, pressing himself towards the finish. His body forced the movements, speeding forward, desperate to reclaim his position. Sousuke’s determination carried him, ignoring the swimmers beside him. His hand shot out, his palm connecting with the tiles of the wall. Rising up out of the water, he gasped in a breath as a shadow passed over him. His eyes darted up, watching in awe as Rin dove boldly into the lane.

Sousuke dragged himself up out of the water, instantly turning back to watch as Rin cut through the water. Rin and Haruka seemed almost level, both of them leading slightly ahead of the rest of the teams.

As the swimmers soared towards the turn, the roar of the crowd heightened. Rin and Haruka took the turn, the final 100m immediately growing in intensity. All teams were crying out, cheering their teammates on. It all came down to this, there was no room for anymore mistakes. Samezuka and Iwatobi were near tied, both only inches in front of the other swimmers.

Both of them could hear the chants as they fought on. The pressure was like a weight, heavy and persistent. They sailed towards their teams, all their energy going into the final stretch.

The swimmers crashed into the wall, all hands slamming up against the cold tiles. They each broke the surface, their energy drained, all eyes flicking straight towards the score board. Time couldn’t have moved slower as each team stared hopefully at the large, black board, desperately waiting on their times.

One by one, the team names appeared in order, listing the teams’ positions by their lane:

_Iwatobi – 1 st place_

_Samezuka – 2 nd place_

 

The Iwatobi boys gawked at the board. Nagisa dived into the hair, his unabashed laughter sounding out. Makoto tugged Haruka up out of the water, dragging them all into a hug. The team were unable to hold back their tears any longer.

“We won!” They sobbed. “We’re going to nationals!”

The crowd was alive with cheers, whistles, and applause. From a balcony overlooking the pool, Miho and Gou stood, their arms in the air as they squealed wildly. The other teams congratulated themselves, so many of them proud of their performance. Some waved to their schools and other teammates in the crowd; others simply hugged their teammates and were grateful for the opportunity.

“Good job, guys,” Rin breathed, his eyes welling up with tears that he desperately fought back.

“I’m so glad I got to swim with you all!” Momotarou cried, launching himself at his team mates.

The four Samezuka boys threw their arms around each other. They had all trained hard, performed at their very best, and proved themselves against the others in the competitive conditions. There was no shame in that.

“I really wanted us all to be there together!” Rin rambled, tears spilling over and trailing down his face.

Sousuke swiped at the other boy’s face, brushing the tears away.

“Rin,” Sousuke spoke. “We’re so proud of you.”

Rin surrendered, letting the tears fall freely as he pulled his team in for a final hug. The other teams had their final moments with their teammates before they each moved down, shaking each other’s hands and congratulating each other on getting this far. When Samezuka and Iwatobi reached each other, there was a shared feeling that blanketed both teams; respect.

As Rin and Haru shook hands, their eyes met, an understanding flowing between them. Sousuke reached out, shaking Nanase’s hand, his eyes softer than Haruka had ever seen. They were void of hostility or threat.

Sousuke moved on, his eyes flicking up to meet Makoto’s. He hesitated for a second. Makoto offered him a bright smile, Sousuke’s mind instantly easing up in response. He nodded firmly, shaking the other boy’s hand before moving on down the line.

When all the congratulations were done, the swimmers proceeded back towards the changing rooms. The teams split off towards their allocated changing rooms. As the Samezuka boys changed back into their clothes and packed up their stuff, their body’s felt the strain of the day’s events. The boys checked their lockers for the last time before they left, heading back to the comfort of their hotel.

* * *

When the Iwatobi team got back to their hotel, the boys said swift goodnights, all of them dragging themselves to bed after the long day. Makoto and Haruka trudged up the stairs and to their room.

“Haru,” Makoto called. The other boy’s eyes found his. “You did amazing today!” Makoto beamed.

Haruka’s eyes gleamed in the low lighting. Silently, he nodded, following Makoto into their room.

The boys quickly got ready for bed and settled down for the night. When Makoto’s head hit the pillow, he managed a mumbled “Good night,” before his eyes fell shut and his body was lost to sleep.


End file.
